When You and I Were Young, Maggie Music by James Austin Butterfield (1837-1891) Lyrics derived from the poem "When You and I Were Young" by George Washington Johnson (1846-1914) This song has been performed by many people in many different styles from the lyrical beauty of the Irish tenor John McCormack who recorded it in 1925 (available on YouTube)to all manner of Bluegrass, Dixieland, Country and Folk styles. I like to play and sing it in a slightly Dylanesque fashion hence the and the A7addG chords in this version. The lyrics vary from version to version and often verse 2 is omitted but here I have used the words from the original score published by J Butterfield and Co, Indianapolis in 1866 so you may mix and match as you please. The published score differs slightly from Johnson's original poem and I have marked associated lines with * and annotated these at the end for information. The chorus was not part of the original poem. ( ) ////¦////¦// //¦/// (I wandered...) Alternative Intro: ( ) // // ¦/ / / (I wandered...) I wandered today to the hill, Maggie To watch the scene below The creek and the creaking old mill, Maggie A7addG Where we sat in the long, long ago. The green grove is gone from the hill, Maggie Where first the daisies sprung The creaking old mill is still, Maggie A7addG Since you and I were young. // ¦/// And now we are aged and grey, Maggie, And the trials of life nearly done, Let us sing of the days that are gone Maggie A7addG When you and I were young. // ¦/// A city so silent and lone, Maggie Where the young and the gay and the best* In polished white mansions of stone, Maggie A7addG Have each found a place of rest,* Is built where the birds used to play, Maggie And join in the songs that were sung For we sang just as gay as they, Maggie A7addG When you and I were young. // ¦/// And now we are aged and grey, Maggie, And the trials of life nearly done, Let us sing of the days that are gone Maggie A7addG When you and I were young. // ¦/// They say I am feeble with age, Maggie, My steps are less sprightly than then, My face is a well-written page, Maggie,* A7addG But time alone was the pen. They say we are aged and grey, Maggie,* As sprays by the white breakers flung,* But to me you're as fair as you were, Maggie, A7addG When you and I were young. // ¦/// And now we are aged and grey, Maggie, And the trials of life nearly done, Let us sing of the days that are gone Maggie A7addG When you and I were young. ¦ // / & / *Words which vary from original poem: 1 Where the young, the gay and the best 1 Have each found a palace of rest 2 My face is a full written page, Maggie 3 But Time's alone was the pen 4 Our heads they say are as gray, Maggie 5 As the spray by the white breakers flung Chords A7addG